POLAR Travel Grant (2026–2027) – 2nd call (Events taking place between October 1st, 2026, and March 31st, 2027)

On this page

• Introduction
• Eligibility
• Apply
• Application due date
• Additional information
• Contact us

Introduction

Indigenous and northern residents of the Canadian North and Arctic travelling to attend important conferences and research meetings can now apply for Polar Knowledge Canada’s (POLAR) Travel Grant program!

This grant, valued at up to $5,000, supports eligible travellers by helping offset the costs associated with attending conferences, fora or committee meetings. This grant program supports the inclusion of Indigenous and local Peoples in research, their participation in the governance of research and the sharing of local and Indigenous Knowledge with Canadians in the south as well as internationally.

Eligibility

To be considered for funding, the proposed event must take place between October 1st, 2026, and March 31st, 2027.

Individual travellers may receive a maximum of one grant per fiscal year.

The traveller must be:

• a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and;
• a resident of the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik or Nunatsiavut, and;
• associated with an Indigenous or northern organization (i.e. institutions, local government, and not-for-profit organizations.)

Project Eligibility

To be considered for funding, the application must:

• Provide evidence of estimated travel expenses. Eligible expenses are limited to:
  • Travel costs- examples include airfare, registration fees, per diems and accommodations.
• Include details on the event, including:
  • why in-person attendance is required; and
  • how the traveller's presence at the event contributes to Indigenous and/or Northern perspectives (including underrepresented voices) in policy, research, or decision-making fora; and
  • the amount of funding requested from POLAR.
• Align with POLAR’s 2026–2029 Science and Technology Framework, which supports the creation and sharing of Indigenous knowledge and scientific research for the benefit of all Canadians.

POLAR’s 2026-2029 S&T Framework comprises of the following three pillars of research and knowledge:

Pillar 1

One Health

“One Health” is an integrated approach to understanding wildlife health, human health, and ecosystem health. In the Arctic, for example, wildlife harvest is fundamental to the diet, cultural identity, and traditional practices of many Indigenous people. POLAR will undertake and support the research and knowledge needed to better understand various impacts and drivers on the health of Arctic ecosystems, wildlife and human health and wellbeing. A top priority of this pillar is to help address food insecurity in the North through research linking wildlife harvests, sustainable northern supply chains, food safety, and new transportation technologies.

Pillar 2

Energy, technology, and cold climate innovation

This pillar will focus on informing solutions to energy and infrastructure challenges associated with very cold climates and remote locations. CHARS will continue to provide capacity for testing high-latitude and cold climate energy, waste-management, transportation, and housing technologies. Partnerships with the public and private sectors will be pursued to develop a world class cold-climate test centre at CHARS and through partnerships with public, private, Indigenous, and academic partners across northern, southern, and international locations.

Pillar 3

Climate, biodiversity, and shifting landscapes

This pillar will support research on the effects of climate change on the Arctic’s terrestrial, freshwater and marine environments with the objective of identifying changes and trends affecting these ecosystems and informing Canada’s response. Various hazards such as microbially generated greenhouse gases from permafrost, melting glaciers and sea ice, shifting ranges of wildlife and vegetation, and forest fires and extreme weather are important variables to consider as Canada responds to landscape-level pressures in Arctic environments. Work under this pillar will continue to support partners’ long-term monitoring programs based at CHARS and contribute to Canada’s international obligations related to climate change, protecting biodiversity, and reducing the impacts of pollution.

Asset Criteria

Priority may be given to:

• travellers associated with an Indigenous organization; and/or
• international events

Apply

To apply, you must create an account on the Polar Knowledge Canada’s Online Application and Reporting site. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email. Use your account to submit your application.

Organizations may nominate travellers and complete the application on their behalf.

For applicants with limited connectivity or issues with the web portal, please contact the Grants and Contributions team at grants-contributions@polar-polaire.gc.ca.

Apply for the Polar Travel Grant.

Application due date

The application deadline is on July 20, 2026, 23:59 EDT.

Additional Information

POLAR will provide successful travellers with up to $5,000, distributed through their associated organization. POLAR will not be responsible for any part of travel booking or event registration.

Contact us

For all questions regarding POLAR’s 2026–2027 Polar Travel Grants program application process, contact the Grants and Contributions team at grants-contributions@polar-polaire.gc.ca.